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It’s common to focus on your favorite form of exercise, but a well-rounded fitness routine includes a balance of cardio exercise and strength training.
Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio activity per week, as well as moderate- to high-intensity strength training 2-3 times a week, according to The American Heart Association.
If you do both workouts on the same day, should you lift weights first then head out on your walk? Or go for a jog and then head home and grab the dumbbells?
The simple answer is to do either — whichever you are more likely to do consistently. But getting maximum benefit may depend on which type of cardio you’re doing — and what your overall health goals are.
Cardio at a higher intensity may use up a lot of energy and leave you tired during strength training. But if you’re going on a moderately paced walk, it can act as a warmup for strength training afterward.
The benefits of cardio before weights
Cardio can be a great starter or finisher to weight training. Doing cardio prior to weight training is the optimal choice if you want to increase endurance, since cardio will take energy from your energy stores.
This means performing cardio before weight training enhances cardiovascular endurance and weight training with depleted energy stores also enhances muscular endurance.
The benefits of cardio after weights
Doing a cardio workout after weight training is ideal if you want to lose fat and get stronger. Building muscle mass is a big part of fat loss since it has been proven to promote a faster metabolism.
You’ll hit the ground running with energy for strength training rather than showing up to this type of exercise already feeling physically tired.
And if your cardio of choice is done at a moderate to leisurely pace, it can serve as a cool down from a more intense strength training session.
The bottom line: The best workout order is the one you’ll commit to
If you’re somewhat new to exercising or just getting back into it, start with the type of exercise you feel most motivated to do. For some of us, lacing up our sneakers for a walk is the easiest way to get moving. For others, grabbing some dumbbells for strength work is much more appealing.
If you currently have a workout routine, whether that be strength training or cardio, I encourage you to stick with what’s working and build off of that. So if you feel motivated to do your 20-minute walk and you’re looking to add in strength training, do your walk first since it’s already part of your routine. Then you can add on strength training after.
Or, if you’re committed to a strength-training plan and looking to step it up with your workouts (or have more energy or time left to give), tack on a cardio session after you’re done with your weights.
What works for one person will be different from what works for another. The key is to work with your body and your existing habits to continue making progress toward your health goals.
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